Alofi

Last updated

Alofi
Alofi.jpg
A street in Alofi
Alofi in Niue.svg
Alofi council within Niue
Niue Verwaltungsgliederung.png
Administrative map of Niue showing all the villages. Alofi is on the western side of the island
Coordinates: 19°03′15″S169°55′10″W / 19.05417°S 169.91944°W / -19.05417; -169.91944
Country New Zealand
Constituent country Niue
Tribal Area Tafiti
Village Alofi North and Alofi South
Government
  Assemblyman of Alofi NorthVaiga Tukuitoga [1]
  Assemblyman of Alofi SouthDalton Tagelagi [2]
Area
  Area of both Alofi North and Alofi South46.48 km2 (17.95 sq mi)
Elevation
[3]
21 m (69 ft)
Population
 (2022) [4]
  Total610
  Density13.12/km2 (32.46/sq mi)
  Alofi North
187
  Alofi South
423
Resident Population
[5]
  Visitors (Alofi North)6,214
  Visitor (Alofi South)6,214
Time zone UTC-11 (UTC-11)
Area code +683

Alofi is the capital of the island nation of Niue. With a population of 610 in 2022, [4] Alofi has the distinction of being the second-smallest capital city of a sovereign state by population (after Ngerulmud, capital of Palau). It consists of two villages: Alofi North and Alofi South. They collectively serve as the capital, but of the two, Alofi South hosts more government buildings, as many were moved to the southern part after Cyclone Heta.

Contents

History

In 1922 the first hospital in Niue opened in Alofi. [6] [7]

In January 2004, Niue was hit by the fierce tropical storm Cyclone Heta, which killed two people and did extensive damage to the entire island. Many of Alofi's buildings were destroyed, including the hospital. Government buildings were shifted to a less exposed site 3 km (≈ 2 mi) inland from the west coast, [8] named Fonuakula, after the storm. [9] This site is within the village boundaries of Alofi South.

Geography

Overview

It is located at the centre of Alofi Bay on the west coast of the island, close to the only break in the coral reef that surrounds Niue. The bay stretches for 30% of the island's length (about seven kilometres) from Halagigie Point in the south to Makapu Point in the north.

The council's territory borders with Avatele, Hakupu, Lakepa, Liku, Makefu, Mutalau, Tamakautoga and Tuapa. [10]

Climate

Alofi
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
 
 
260
 
 
28
23
 
 
250
 
 
29
24
 
 
300
 
 
28
24
 
 
200
 
 
27
23
 
 
130
 
 
26
22
 
 
80
 
 
26
21
 
 
90
 
 
25
20
 
 
100
 
 
25
20
 
 
100
 
 
26
21
 
 
120
 
 
26
21
 
 
140
 
 
27
22
 
 
190
 
 
28
23
Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation totals in mm
Source: Weatherbase [3]
Imperial conversion
JFMAMJJASOND
 
 
10
 
 
82
73
 
 
9.8
 
 
84
75
 
 
12
 
 
82
75
 
 
7.9
 
 
81
73
 
 
5.1
 
 
79
72
 
 
3.1
 
 
79
70
 
 
3.5
 
 
77
68
 
 
3.9
 
 
77
68
 
 
3.9
 
 
79
70
 
 
4.7
 
 
79
70
 
 
5.5
 
 
81
72
 
 
7.5
 
 
82
73
Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
Precipitation totals in inches

Alofi features a tropical rainforest climate under the Köppen climate classification, with no discernible dry season. The city has a noticeably drier stretch from June through September. However, all of these months average more than 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain, the limit for a dry season month. Average temperatures vary slightly throughout the course of the year in Alofi hovering at around 27 °C (81 °F), during the warmest month (February) and at around 23 °C (73 °F) during the coolest months (July and August).

Climate data for Alofi
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Record high °C (°F)38
(100)
38
(100)
32
(90)
36
(97)
30
(86)
32
(90)
35
(95)
37
(99)
36
(97)
31
(88)
37
(99)
36
(97)
38
(100)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)28
(82)
29
(84)
28
(82)
27
(81)
26
(79)
26
(79)
25
(77)
25
(77)
26
(79)
26
(79)
27
(81)
28
(82)
27
(81)
Daily mean °C (°F)26
(79)
27
(81)
26
(79)
25
(77)
25
(77)
23
(73)
22
(72)
23
(73)
23
(73)
24
(75)
25
(77)
26
(79)
25
(77)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)23
(73)
24
(75)
24
(75)
23
(73)
22
(72)
21
(70)
20
(68)
20
(68)
21
(70)
21
(70)
22
(72)
23
(73)
22
(72)
Record low °C (°F)20
(68)
20
(68)
20
(68)
14
(57)
15
(59)
13
(55)
11
(52)
11
(52)
15
(59)
15
(59)
11
(52)
17
(63)
11
(52)
Average precipitation mm (inches)261.6
(10.30)
253.6
(9.98)
305.6
(12.03)
202.6
(7.98)
138.2
(5.44)
88.9
(3.50)
96.4
(3.80)
105.8
(4.17)
102.4
(4.03)
123.8
(4.87)
145.5
(5.73)
196.2
(7.72)
2,018.4
(79.46)
Source: Weatherbase [11]

Transport

The town is serviced by Niue International Airport, and there are numerous roads, both paved and dirt, that crisscross the town. [12]

The island's main seaport is Sir Roberts Wharf. It is located at 19°03′10″S169°55′15″W / 19.05278°S 169.92083°W / -19.05278; -169.92083 , close to the centre of Alofi, within 200 metres of the capital's post office and just to the north of the Chamber of Commerce building. It is a small wharf, capable—due to the island's topography—of only handling smaller flat-bottomed boats. Larger cargo vessels and fishing boats moor near the reef, and barges are used to offload cargo. Major strengthening, extension work, and renovations to the wharf were commissioned in 2020, after cyclone damage earlier in the year. [13]

Personalities

See also

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References

Notes

  1. New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
  2. Government of Niue
  3. 1 2 Weatherbase
  4. 1 2 "Niue Census of Population and Housing 2022". Niue Statistics Office. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  5. SPC 2008, p.5.
  6. Terry Magaoa Chapman (1982). Niue, a History of the Island. Suva: University of the South Pacific. p. 129.
  7. "GALA DAY ON NIUE". New Zealand Herald. 7 September 1922. p. 9. Retrieved 10 November 2024 via Papers Past.
  8. "Alofi | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  9. East-West Center
  10. 1558549 (x j a h) Alofi on OpenStreetMap
  11. "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Alofi, Niue". Weatherbase. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  12. "Niue International Airport". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  13. Pavihi, Esther. "A much stronger and bigger Sir Robert's Wharf officially commissioned". Television Niue. Retrieved 20 April 2022.

Sources